Coconut Mung Beans (Pressure Cooker)

I bought some mung beans at the Asian Market last week, I’ve been wanting to try them since they’re so good for you. This recipe is from Melomeals: Vegan For $3.33 A Day – I’ve had my eye on it for a while now so I decided to make it tonight. It’s really easy to make, doesn’t take much time at all and tastes delish! It was a tad too spicy for our toddler but not for us at all. The toasted coconut topping was a nice touch.

Coconut Mung Beans

  • 1 T coconut oil
  • 1 /2 t cumin seeds
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 Serrano chili  (I used a jalapeno, all I had. Removed all seeds and diced)
  • 1 T minced ginger
  • 1 T curry powder (I used Kashmiri Curry from World Spice Merchant)
  • 1 c mung beans
  • 4 c water
  • 1 t Creole seasoning
  • Juice and zest 1 lemon (around ¼ lemon juice. You can use lime juice or 3 T of apple cider vinegar in place of lemon juice)
  • ½ c cilantro
  • Toasted coconut for garnish (I toasted unsweetened coconut shreds in my toaster oven on 325F for a few minutes)
  • Soy Sauce/Pepper to taste
* In case you’ve never seen them before, here are mung beans:

Dry Mung Beans

Directions:
  • In a pressure cooker over med hi heat add the oil, cumin, onion, chili, ginger, and curry powder along with a pinch of salt. Sauté for several minutes, then lower the heat down to low and continue cooking for 10 more minutes. (My pressure cooker doesn’t have a low setting so I just sautéed it for about 8 minutes or so)
  • Add the beans, water and Creole seasoning
  • Put top on pressure cooker and bring to high pressure for 6 minutes.
  • Let the pressure come down naturally then stir in lemon juice and zest and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasonings and add toasted coconut to garnish if you desire
  • Serve over rice – I used brown rice and served it with Naan bread… my hubby’s request!

Saute onions, pepper, ginger, curry, cumin seeds and a pinch of salt in coconut oil

Add beans, water and creole seasoning

Cover, cook on high pressure for 6 minutes

Toast unsweetened coconut for topping

Slow release pressure, add lemon juice, zest and cilantro

Yum!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones!

Here’s a quick shot of my Thanksgiving meal… it was a short menu this year – just made enough for my hubby’s on-shift dinner (he didn’t want to eat turkey this year!) and my daughter and I. It was delicious! Recipes and details to follow.

Tempeh & Sage Loaf (Vegan Slow Cooker Recipe)

Raw Collard Green & Apple Salad with Pomegranates (Melomeals: Vegan For $3.33 A Day Recipe)

Mock Meatloaf with Brown Gravy (Happy Herbivore Recipe)

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Onions (My Recipe 🙂

Dill Potatoes (Josh’s favorite!)

Baked Acorn Squash with Apples (The Global Vegan)

Butter Bean Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert (Happy Herbivore Recipe)

Thanksgiving Meal 2011

Josh's Firehouse Meal (with leftover gravy)

Butter Bean Chocolate Chip Cookies - Happy Herbivore Recipe

Dig in!

Meatless Monday Meatloaf & Gravy

I’ve made a lot of mock-meatloaf in my day and this one is the best! My husband and daughter love this. You can serve this for Meatless Mondays! It’s so easy to make and doesn’t require any fancy ingredients.

I got this off of one of my favorite vegan food blogs – Happy Herbivore. She has a new cookbook out too, I highly recommend it! You can buy her cookbook here.

The brown gravy requires nutritional yeast and whole wheat pastry flour but you can find both in the bulk section of Sprouts. I bet you already have everything else in your fridge… well, maybe minus the Gimme Lean Ground “Beef”. Gimme Lean also makes a sausage style one too – both are fat-free and delicious!

Gimme Lean Ground "Beef" - find it at Sprouts

These are all the ingredients you will need for the meatloaf – plus onion powder and garlic powder.

Here’s the recipe for the Mock Meatloaf:

* 1 package Gimme Lean (Beef-Style)

* 3 Tbsp Ketchup

* 2 Tbsp Yellow Mustard

* 1 small onion, diced

* 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (Trader Joe’s has them for cheap)

* 1/4 non-dairy milk (I use rice, almond or soy depending what I have on hand)

* 1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

* 1 Tbsp dry basil

Directions:

* Preheat oven to 350F

* Place a large sheet of foil in a regular bread/loaf pan – enough to make a tent over the top

* Mix all ingredients together well and place meatloaf in pan – smooth out the top and tent the foil over it

* Bake for 45 minutes or until the outside is brown and the inside is firm.

* You can smother the top with extra ketchup if you desire.

** Brown Gravy:

* 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

* 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

* 2 cups vegetable broth – I like to use the Imagine brand “No-Chicken Broth” – Sprouts has it

* 2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce

* 1 tsp onion powder

* 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

* Whisk nutritional yeast and whole wheat pastry flour in a medium saucepan, toast until fragrant – about 4 minutes

* Whisk in remaining ingredients

* Bring to a boil and allow to thicken as desired – it get’s pretty thick but if you want it thicker dissolve 1 Tbsp cornstarch in 2 Tbsp water and add it in

* Add salt and pepper to taste

Toast nutritional yeast and whole wheat pastry flour

Gravy... yum!!

This gravy really tastes like the real thing!

Now you are ready to serve and enjoy!

I served it with kale salad… recipe to follow!

Raw Collard & Apple Salad

I love my greens! I enjoy hearty meal-type salads and I’ve been making a few lately that we really enjoy! Kale is my go-to salad green but I’ve been trying to venture out. I came across this Raw Collard and Apple Salad from my latest favorite vegan food blog MELOMEALS: Vegan for $3.33 A Day. You can use collard greens or kale – I used collard greens. I love the spiciness of the dijon mustard with the sweetness of the raisins! I’ve been eating this with my collard wraps for lunch, it’s just so awesome that it keeps in the fridge and doesn’t wilt and sog like regular salad!

Raw Collard and Apple Salad

Yummy!

Raw Collard Salad
4 c finely chopped collard greens
½ c diced celery
2 c diced or shredded carrots
2 c apples, diced ( toss with ½ t apple cider vinegar before adding to salad )
4 T toasted sesame seeds
1 c golden raisins
1 t chunky sea salt ( less if using fine salt )
2 t onion powder
Pinch stevia powder or 3 T agave or honey
¼ t cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
¼ t white pepper
3 T olive oil
2 T Dijon mustard
3 T apple cider vinegar
Toss everything together with your hands. Allow salad to sit for an hour ( or overnight ) before eating. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Collard Greens... in case you didn't know 🙂

Strip leaves off of the tough stem (chop stem and add to soups for extra fiber)

I roll the leaves and chop them this way, then chop them again into smaller bites

Add chopped celery

then carrots... I like extra carrots...

chop your apples and add

toast your sesame seeds until fragrant - I use my cast iron pan (dry)

Add sesame seeds and golden raisins

Combine dressing ingredients

Add to salad

Mix together with your hands, let sit in fridge for a few hours or overnight before serving

Yummy!

It was yummy with my leftover sushi!

Raw Collard and Apple Salad